Inspired by the Minnesota Quilters Show

I just got back from the Minnesota Quilter's Show in Duluth, MN.  It was a FANTASTIC show this year with lots of gorgeous quilts and great vendors!

Here are a few favorite pictures of mine.

Be sure to join my Machine Applique Adventures Facebook Group to see even more!

This quilt is two sided and was done using the quilt as you go method.  It was absolutely fantastic!  And gives me ideas....

Here's the front.

A close-up of the back.

The back...wow!

This is a quilt by Beth Nufer and Clem Buzick.  I met Clem at the show and she was wonderful.  The quilt is made of silks and it just glows...hmmm....more food for thought!  Enjoy.

I hope you get to quilt today!

Suzy

Clam Flower #3 - Part 2

 Here's the second part of Clam Flower #3.  Adding the dark purple really enhances the flower.

Layer 3:

The back of Layer 3:

The final block!  I had a hard time deciding what thread to stitch the lowest green piece in.  I decided on the darkest shade int he fabric to help make the piece stand out and I like the effect.  If I'd used a light, it wouldn't be as prominent.

And the back.

I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

Free Motion Friday - Silk Trial Piece #3

Here's the free motion work I did on the last Silk Trial piece I did.  This one I started by stitching the stem and leaves.  Then I stitched around the flower.  Then I added a frame and the outline of the frame.  I wanted to fill the space atop the flower with something interesting so I added a spray of feathers.  Then some wiggles in the outer frame and some random spiral shapes on the inside.

The spray of feathers.

Random spiral shapes.  I was trying to do different shapes, but it's mostly triangles and rectangles.

And a closeup of the feather and leaves.  I wanted to do dense stitching in the leaves and stem so the shape would show up really well.

I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

Clam Flower #3 - Part 1

I am having such fun making these clam flowers.  For number 3 I had fun using fabrics similar to another quilt I've made.  You'll see that at the end of the post.  You can also see the green has orange dots in it!

Layer One;

Back of Layer One:

Layer Two before the stitching:

Layer Two after the stitching.  It really adds a lot to the block, doesn't it?

Layer Two, the back.

 And here's the quilt I made using the same fabrics!

I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

Restaurant Inspiration

These pictures were taken at one of my favorite local restaurants.  It's a Mongolian barbecue place.  These are in the bathroom.  Yes, I am that person.  The first two are part of a mirror frame and would make great free motion quilting patterns.

And the shape of this vase!?   Fabulous.

I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

Clam Flower #2 - Part 2

I am so excited to show you the rest of this flower!  For the first part click here.  

I was trying to decide between these two colors of thread for the top piece of the flower petals (the darker blue with the turquoise dots).   The left  one would stand out a lot (you can see it draped over the fabric) where as the right one blends more.  I decided to go with blend because the fabric stands out enough as it is.

Here I was making another thread choice for the oval you see between the two spools.  I decided on the thread on the left as the color was closer.

If you look carefully at the background fabric around the oval you can see that the background fabric is warping a little.  I decided to make a slit in the stabilizer on the back of the fabric in order to flatten the fabric before sewing the piece.  It worked perfectly.

Here's the slit I CAREFULLY cut using a seam ripper.

Here's what the fabric looked like once I'd turned it back over after cutting the slit.

And the final block!

The back of the final block.

I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

Free Motion Friday - Silk Trial Piece #2

I had a lot of fun playing with free motion work on this piece.  I started by stitching out some leaves with a green Glide thread (40 weight poly).  I then switched to a white Aurifil 50 weight thread for the rest of the quilting.  I had fun outlining the leaves and then doing a bubble outline.

Then I added tear drops at the top.

I did the background in a modern filler.  Straight lines with random bubbles and outlined bubbles.  It was fun and fast and very cute!

I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy